HEAVY DUTY GRAVITY ROLLER CONVEYOR WITH CASTERS USED AT WAREHOUSE DOCKS

Many trailers are brought to the warehouse now loaded full to the brim.  The product is not on pallets in order to save space and maximize the amount of product on the trailer.  Once the truck arrives to the warehouse it must be unloaded as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The warehouse workers sometimes bring a pallet to the trailer or in the trailer and load directly onto the pallet, but the quickest and most effective way to unload the truck is to use a Mobile Conveyor System.  In this latest application we supplied our customer with heavy-duty gravity roller conveyor with casters.
This customer uses the 2.5" diameter gravity roller conveyor section that is 10' long x 27" between frame and 30" overall width.  We start this first section up at 46" top of roller elevation and declines about 2" to the other end.  We use three supports under this 10' section and use 6" x 2" phenolic swivel casters with top lock brakes and swivel locks (1,200# capacity).  The first section is heavier duty because this section of conveyor takes all the impact of the boxes being thrown and loaded onto the conveyor system.
The next six sections are 1.9" diameter gravity roller conveyor sections that are 10' long x 27" between frame and 30" overall width.  We use two supports on the 1.9" conveyors with knee braces to support the legs.  The conveyors are hooked together by a hook and rod at each end of the conveyor sections.  We use 4" x 2" phenolic swivel casters with top lock brakes and four position swivel locks (800# capacity).
Basically the impact section of conveyor is set at the end of the trailer and as they unload into the trailer the impact section goes into the trailer and the extra 10' sections are added as needed.  This way the corrugated boxes can flow down the conveyor line out of the trailer and into the warehouse where the product can be separated and palletized as needed until the trailer is unloaded.  This saves the employees time and has ergonomic features.
One key factor is the casters.  The sections of conveyor will roll over the dock boards and into the trailer so they need to be heavy-duty and able to take impact yet still be able to roll very easily.  The top lock brake installed on the casters allows the wheels to lock when the conveyor is being loaded.  Then easily unlocked by pushing the foot pedal on the caster.  We also put four position swivel locks on the casters to allow the operators to make the casters not swivel if wanted.  This makes it much easier to roll the conveyors in a straight line when needed.
We partner with Lewco Conveyors for the conveyor and we use casters assembled at Carolina Material Handling for the casters, wheels, top lock brakes, and four position swivel locks.  We bring the conveyor into CMH and install the casters to the conveyor and assemble the conveyor to the desired elevations.  Then P Strouth loads the conveyor already assembled and ready to use onto our 26' box truck and delivers to the customer to use.  This way the customer can use the heavy-duty gravity roller conveyor with casters and begin unloading trailers straight from the dock into the warehouse.
Call or email if I can help you with conveyor or casters.